Betrayal
by bionic4ever
Summary: Jaime and Oscar have finally given in to their destiny: to be together. What will happen when Steve finds out?
1. Chapter 1

**BETRAYAL**

by bionic4ever

STEVE & JAIME'S HOUSE, WASH. D.C.-Friday, 10:30am

Steve threw his clothes and most important possessions into two suitcases and a trunk. He was moving at bionic speed, intending to be out the door of the house he'd shared with Jaime for over a year before she walked in. He also hoped that such quick actions would leave no time to reconsider what he was doing or to feel the deep, caustic sting of betrayal caused by the two people who'd been closer to him than anyone else on Earth.

He'd gotten out of bed that morning looking forward to what he was sure would be one of the happiest days of his life. He and Jaime were about to become engaged. Of course, he had to ask her first, but he was certain she'd say yes. They'd been together for so long, through so much. Sure, she'd been a little distant in the last few weeks, but Steve assumed she was daydreaming about the same things he was: a wedding, picket fence, dog, 2.4 kids and bliss.

Jaime had already left the house, probably for a morning run, he'd thought at the time. That would work out fine; he needed to visit Oscar, his best friend and former boss, first, to share his plans and his happiness. Then he'd return home and ask Jaime to be his wife.

Steve laughed bitterly to himself. Had he really been that starry-eyed and naive, only two hours ago? The world can change so much in two hours - in one heartbeat really. He realized Jaime had never really been the same after her bout with amnesia - hell, death can change anyone - but Oscar? In one unbelievably ugly moment Steve had lost his best friend, his girlfriend and his entire future. He had never even seen it coming.

OSI HEADQUARTERS, DIRECTOR'S OFFICE-Friday, 8:30am

Jaime had, in fact, gone for a run that morning: across town to Oscar Goldman's office and straight into his arms. They were starved for each other's touch and embraced with all the passion of a love too long supressed.

Oscar stepped back to look at her after a long, intimate kiss. "You really need to tell Steve..." he began.

"I know." Jaime was blissfully happy with this new life she'd found, a life with Oscar at its center, but she ached at the thought of hurting the man who had been so good to her, so loving, for the majority of her life. "I know I have to do it, " she continued. ""I really should've told him weeks ago, but I don't know what to say or even how to start."

They both longed to feel the ultimate closeness that would only come from making love, but they'd agreed to wait until she'd completely separated herself from Steve. It was the only right and fair way to do it. They both regretted what this would do to Steve and had resisted what was happening between them as long as they could, until it became too strong to fight anymore.

"I'll tell him, if you want me to," Oscar said quietly. He felt a soft tenderness for this woman that, in his all his 50+ years, he'd been unaware he was capable of. Before he'd kissed her for the first time, he'd existed: work, home, work - period. Now he truly lived, and loved.

Jaime shook her head and smiled at him. "I have to do it." She looked into the eyes of the man she'd known for so long. When his arms encircled her, she felt something brand-new that she hadn't known she lacked: she was home.

"I'll tell him tonight," she promised, reaching up to kiss him. Oscar pulled her as close as was physically possible and kissed her deeply, hungrily. At precisely that instant, without a knock or any warning, the office door opened.

Steve's face flushed deep crimson and his soul went white-hot with rage. Why was she in another man's arms (doing that!), this woman he loved more than life itself? Not just any 'other man' either - his best friend and mentor. He'd planned to ask Oscar to be his best man at the wedding which, in this one awful moment, was gone forever.

"What the hell?" Steve said involuntarily, his voice tinged with grief and anger. The two lovers-to-be jerked apart, neither one able to look at him. He was gone before they turned around.

"Oh my God..." Jaime whispered. She buried her head in Oscar's shoulder and began to cry. He smoothed her hair and rubbed her back in an attempt to comfort her.

"I'm so sorry, Babe," he told her softly. "At least now, he knows."


	2. Chapter 2

STEVE & JAIME'S HOUSE, WASH. D.C. - Fri. 10:30am

Steve fastened the last lock on the last suitcase and breathed deeply to steel himself. He sensed her standing in the doorway: Jaime. "What do you want?" he asked bitterly, without turning around.

"We need to talk..." she began hesitantly.

"This morning pretty much said it all, don't you think?" He finally turned to face her, and the pain is his eyes made Jaime flinch.

"Steve, I'm..."

"Don't say it, please, unless you came to ask me to stay. Did you?" Jaime stared at the floor, the lump in her throat choking off her voice. Steve shook his head. "Didn't think so." He tried to contain his grief and anger before asking his next question. "Do you love him?"

"Yes," she answered softly, tears in her eyes.

"How long?"

"About two weeks. I...I've wanted to tell you, but the words wouldn't come...You didn't deserve this."

"Well, we agree on that, at least." Steve strode briskly into the living room to avoid Jaime as she began to move in his direction. When he turned around, though, she was right behind him.

"Steve..." her voice was shaking as she struggled to find the words. "I love you -"

"Don't even bother saying that! I'm not an idiot, Jaime; I saw the truth with my own eyes!"

"I do! I always will. But...this is so strong. If I'd ignored it and tried to go on with you like everything was normal, it would've been dishonest - to all three of us."

"Oh, and this! This wasn't dishonest?" Steve laughed bitterly at the irony. Not wanting to ask, but needing to know, he went on. "So you're sleeping with him, then?"

Jaime involuntarily reacted as though she'd been slapped. "Of course not," she protested, tears streaming silently down her face. "I - we - couldn't do that to you!"

"You couldn't," he repeated. "But this morning, that was ok? That you could do?" Steve softened when he saw how pale she'd become and that she was beginning to tremble. "Jaime, ever since you came back from rejection and amnesia, I've told you that all I ever wanted was for you to be happy." He began to reach over to brush away her tears, but forced himself to stop. "I thought that you were - that we were - happy together. I wish you would've said something; I'd have stood on my head, turned cartwheels or cut off my good arm to make you happy."

"I was never unhappy with you. We were always so good together..."

"Then why, Jaime?"

I don't _know_ why. I can't even tell you when things between Oscar and I started to change. I fought it for so long; we both did. We didn't want to hurt you -"

"Well, that's comforting."

"All I can say for sure is, around two weeks ago, we couldn't fight it or ignore it anymore..."

"Then this is really what you want?"

Jaime nodded sadly. "I am so sorry." She reached out to embrace him one last time, but Steve avoided her, picked up the trunk with his bionic arm and the suitcases with the other. "Goodbye, Jaime," he said, looking straight into her eyes before he walked out the door.

Oscar's limo was parked at the curb. Oscar stood awkwardly (a first, for him) on the sidewalk, waiting for his old friend to emerge from the house. Their eyes met, and Steve stopped, as if expecting Oscar to make the next move. Oscar did just that, meeting him halfway down the sidewalk. Neither man spoke for several beats.

"Steve, I'm sorry it happened the way it did. Jaime wouldn't purposely hurt you for anything in the world; neither would I."

"I know." Steve looked him squarely in the face and Oscar was stunned to see acceptance, not malice, there. "I won't lie," Steve told him. "Losing her hurts like hell. But she hasn't truly been mine since the amnesia, not the way we used to be. At least with you, I know she'll be taken care of. She'll be safe...and loved." He loaded his belongings into his car and turned back one more time.

"Take good care of her, Oscar," he said simply, and then he drove away.

"I will, Pal," Oscar said into the distance. Then he started toward the house to begin doing exactly that.

END


End file.
